Boulder office development plan criticized for lack of multi-use path

Boulder Planning Board members have high hopes for a project that could bring 300,000 square feet of office space to the area of 30th and Pearl streets.

But first they want the developers to improve multi-use access to the property and consider eliminating some parking spaces on the site.

The proposed development for 2930 Pearl St., behind the Chase Bank branch on the southwest corner of Pearl and 30th, calls for construction of three four-story office buildings, each offering 100,000 square feet of space on an L-shaped, 4.29-acre site.

Developers from Denver-based Tryba Architects and Forum Real Estate Group went before the Planning Board on Thursday evening for a rare, second concept review of the project. An earlier plan, which called for construction of a hotel and retail uses in the buildings, was reviewed by the board in November.

The earlier plan called for a 120-room hotel to accompany retail and office space, but developers said the decision to eliminate the hotel was market-based because of five similar projects in close proximity.

Although the new plan followed recommendations to reduce the number of access points to the site, the adjustment of having one driveway off Pearl Street and one drive off 30th that meet in a roundabout did not sit well with some board members and others, especially considering that the new plan does not show a multi-use path along the North Boulder Farmers Ditch and Boulder Slough, which bisect the site.

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Senior planner Elaine McLaughlin, in her presentation to the board, noted that Boulder recently invested a lot of money and time in creating a below-grade pedestrian/bike crossing under 30th, and a multi-use path through the site would be an ideal connection to other area pathways.

"Staff really feels there is an opportunity to make this connection," she said.

In public comments, Sue Prant, spokeswoman for the cycling advocacy group Community Cycles, decried the plan's omission of a multi-use path.

"It seems bicyclists are second-class citizens in this design," Prant said. "There seems to be a lot of focus on the suburban-style traffic roundabout in the middle of the design, which seems troubling and also creates a number of conflicts with cyclists going along the edge of this suburban roundabout."

The board members who participated in the review largely agreed with Prant.

"I think whatever has to happen, there needs to reflect that the slough is a big opportunity," board member Bryan Bowen said. "I kind of feel that from a multi-use path perspective, that might be the biggest single resource in our town. There is a lot you can do there."

Throughout the review, the board emphasized that the area is transit-focused, located directly across the street from the 160-acre Depot Square development the will feature a regional Regional Transportation District station. With the emphasis on multi-modal transportation, some on the board questioned if the proposed 770 underground parking spaces in the project were necessary.

"I've only been on Planning Board a year, but I haven't seen one project that hasn't asked for a parking reduction," member Crystal Gray said. "It goes with our goals in our transportation master plan. And, as someone said, this area is very, very transit rich, and you should take advantage of that."

Despite their criticisms, the board members expressed excitement about what the project could bring to the area architecturally. Bowen said he thinks the "big, simple, clean" buildings outlined in the site plan have potential, adding, "I think I'm a big fan of where you're headed."

Kevin Foltz, of developer Forum Real Estate Group, said a single tenant has expressed interest in leasing all three buildings should the project be completed, but he could not identify that tenant yet.

He said the next step will be to work with city planning staff members on some of the issues identified at the review, with hopes of having a finalized site review plan ready for board approval in the near future.

"I think our biggest take-away is we need to address some of the access questions," he said. "Having water run through your site creates an opportunity and a challenge."

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